MAYBE HAPPY ENDING Reviews- Page 52

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 8/20/25 at 8:02pm

''For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown. They teach the world that equality is an actual two-way street.'' 

What B.S.! Where was this ''equality'' on Broadway for decades when Caucasian actors played leading Asian roles, usually in yellow face? David Wayne as Sakini in ''Teahouse of the August Moon,'' Cedric Hardwicke as Asano in ''A Majority of One,'' Larry Blyden as Sammy Fong in ''Flower Drum Song,'' to name but a few? It was a one-way street where Caucasians got to play pretty much any nationality, as principals, while actors of color were often to limited minor and supporting ethnic parts.

Oliver is the first role to earn an Asian-American actor the prize for Leading Actor in a Musical in the 78-year history of the Tony Awards. Darren Criss' feat with ''Maybe Happy Ending'' broke new ground, and his two understudies are Asian-American. But at the first chance to replace Criss, the show goes with a Caucasian actor. If you can't understand why that is insulting and offensive to Asian-American actors who rarely get such high-profile, star-making opportunities, and the Asian-American community at-large, you'll never get it. 

Even Helen J Shen, who's at the center of this casting controversy, admits to ''mixed feelings'' and acknowledges ''the vacuum of [Asian-American Pacific Islander] stories'' and ''I know the hurt that people feel because growing up, I would have found a beacon of hope in seeing our show on TV on the Tony Awards. A part of me is mourning that along with the community." It is a deeply felt hurt and sense of betrayal that the 'Maybe Happy Ending'' producers have yet to acknowledge or address, and I bet a lot of us won't forget it either.

Updated On: 8/21/25 at 08:02 PM

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/20/25 at 11:07pm

Seb28 said: "YankeeDani said: "You are the most deluded person I have ever seen "

Disregarding the actual role description is deluded. Thinking equality is a one-way street is deluded. Which of the facts that I mention in my previous post do you find difficult to understand?"

 

I could say a lot more, but I honestly feel bad for how you were raised given your views. Your family must be ashamed of you and all you "stand" for. 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/20/25 at 11:09pm

Matt Rogers said: "Seb28 said: "YankeeDani said: "You are the most deluded person I have ever seen "

Disregarding the actual role description is deluded. Thinking equality is a one-way street is deluded. Which of the facts that I mention in my previous post do you find difficult to understand?"

Give it a rest. You’ve made your stupid point about 15 billion times at this point. Doesn’t your orange cult leader need his fat ass licked?Please go do that instead."

 

Ohhh now it all makes a lot more sense. How sad their upbringing raised them to have these bizarre viewpoints. 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/20/25 at 11:32pm

Wayman_Wong said: "''For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown. They teach the world that equality is an actual two-way street.''

What B.S.! Where was this ''equality'' on Broadway for decades when Caucasian actors played leading Asian roles, usually in yellow face? David Wayne as Sakini in ''Teahouse of the August Moon,'' Cedric Hardwicke as Asano in ''A Majority of One,'' Larry Blyden as Sammy Fong in ''Flower Drum Song,'' to name but a few? It was a one-way street where Caucasians got to play pretty much any nationality, as principals, while actors of color were often to limited minor and supporting ethnic parts.

Oliver is the first role to earn an Asian-American actor the prize for Leading Actor in a Musical in the 78-year history of the Tony Awards. Darren Criss' featwith ''Maybe Happy Ending'' broke new ground, and his two understudies are Asian-American. But at the first chance to replace Criss, the show goes with a Caucasian actor. If you can't understand why that is insulting and offensive to Asian-American actors who rarely get such opportunities, and the Asian-American community at-large, you'll never get it.

Even Helen J Shen, who's at the center of this casting controversy, admits to ''mixed feelings'' and acknowledges ''the vacuum of [Asian-American Pacific Islander] stories'' and ''I know the hurt that people feel becausegrowing up, I would have found a beacon of hope in seeing our show on TV on the Tony Awards. A part of me is mourning that along with the community." It is a deeply felt hurt and sense of betrayal that the producers of 'Maybe Happy Ending'' have yet to address or acknowledge, and I bet a lot of us won't forget it either."

 

 

If you look at the 3 headed idiot brigade, they have no idea of Asian American roles historically, did not read BD Wong's letter, and are basing everything off of how unfair everything is to THEM today. No empathy. No education. No brains. 

 

[binau]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 3:46am

THDavis said: "The producers got everyone talking about the show through ABF’s casting, prices skyrocketed to see Criss before his departure, and now he’s coming back so the people who have now heard about the show through this controversy now have opportunities to see either performer (after raking in a mint from Criss’s supposed departure).


I doubt this has lost the production any money at all. Ever wonder if the people keeping this stuff chugging along are just feeding into the producer’spockets at the end of the day?"

I wonder if you might be right. What if this was just a whole big ‘scam’ to make people believe Darren was leaving instead of going on what is an extended holiday, bringing back the MHE super fans who want to see him one last time and splashing all of their cash. They’d never do this had they known it was just an extended vacation really. 

It seems like the perfect ruse, I just really hope the producers wouldn’t do something so unethical and it’s an unintended consequence of say wanting to make Andrew’s casting not seem like just a temp cover. 

[bear88]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 5:10am

I operate on the assumption that most people in charge of any large operation like a Broadway musical, even one that won a bunch of Tony Awards, are not evil geniuses. Maybe they’re evil. Maybe they’re geniuses. Not both.

There are two options:

1) This is damage control. Darren Criss, who is also a producer, has been called back in to stop the bleeding after the bad publicity due to the casting decision. That was my first reaction, because otherwise, why go through all this grief and put your writers and co-star in a bad spot? Upside: While there are still hard feelings (see Wayman Wong’s post above as an example; there are plenty of others), the musical can recover from this. No one can complain about Criss returning, and the show has bought itself more time - and should do quite well during the holidays even if September and October are light.

2) This was the plan all along, as the show states and multiple people on various sites have said. The producers just didn’t say anything and allowed fans to pay big bucks to see Criss in August before he ‘left.’ Criss, who has sang the praises of his supportive wife, has two young children and wants to be a good father and husband before returning to the musical for another stint. Upside: They make money in what would have been a slower August, survive in September and October, and are set up for a big holiday season. And maybe they get a bigger name to succeed Helen J. Shen when she leaves, perhaps even while Criss is still around.

I am persuaded, mostly because so many people assure me that Criss planned to return after a break, that it’s Option 2. This requires me to believe that the producers, including Criss, are a little bit more dishonest than I thought. It partially explains Andrew Barth Feldman’s odd two-month stint, which wasn’t going to solve their long-term problem (Feldman isn’t a box office draw and he’s still not mentioned on the show website, though they did cut a commercial three weeks ago featuring both actors) while creating a controversy about race that has distracted from Maybe Happy Ending’s feel-good story.

There are still many unanswered questions. Is Maybe Happy Ending a colorblind show now or not? What’s the plan going forward? Regardless of the sentiments of the Asian-American community, of which I am not a part, how much will any of this affect the box office at all? (It probably helped in August because people thought Criss was leaving.) When did everyone know what was going down?

Criss’ return alleviates one problem and brings back the musical’s Tony-winning star for an unknown period of time, but it doesn’t address - or even pretend to address - the many questions that the casting decision, and statements made defending that decision, raised about the casting of Asian-American actors in the lead roles.

Maybe Happy Ending is a lovely musical, one of my favorite new shows in years, a well-crafted evening of entertainment that touches on serious issues of how we cope with isolation, grief and death. It also took risks in bringing in an almost all Asian-American cast when the show could barely open and was on death watch for weeks. This whole casting saga this summer has felt like an unforced error from the start, and if Criss was going to return all along, it seems all the more unnecessary.

Apologies for the excessive length of this…

Updated On: 8/21/25 at 05:10 AM

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 9:19am

Wayman_Wong said: "''For the first time in Broadway history true equality was shown. They teach the world that equality is an actual two-way street.''

What B.S.! Where was this ''equality'' on Broadway for decades when Caucasian actors played leading Asian roles"

You have missed the boat. Yes, things happened decades ago. Then the countermovement started which resulted in overrepresentation of POC. It does neither match the percentages of the country nor NYC any longer. This is the opposite of equality too. As are the vile double standards of which race can take over a role and which race can't.

The fact is that criticism on this casting is sidelining a particular race. A race that is the minority on Broadway right now. Like I said, what is the goal here and when is the balance warped enough for you so that you will be ready to start accepting equality?

Wat the MHE team did here is revolutionary and groundbreaking. They made history. It really is the only way forward. No other production dared to choose true equality so far.

Updated On: 8/21/25 at 09:19 AM

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 9:22am

YankeeDani said: "If you look at the 3 headed idiot brigade, they have no idea of Asian American roles historically, No empathy. No education.."

I know ALL about it. I am Asian. I have lived through it all. 

You have not read or understood any of my posts.

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 10:13am

bear88 said: "There are still many unanswered questions. Is Maybe Happy Ending a colorblind show now or not? What’s the plan going forward?"

Yes it is. It is literally in the casting call and role description. And not only did they put it there, they have shown to be truthful in practice too. They are sincere about it. Unlike shows as Hamilton, who pretend to respect equality but in reality their agenda is clear. MHE is a step ahead of that. The new era. The future. Sidelining races is behind us.

The only thing audieces will see about the 2 lead robot roles is that they look like a mixed race couple in the way it has been cast so far.

bear88 said: "And maybe they get a bigger name to succeed Helen J. Shen when she leaves, perhaps even while Criss is still around."

Jordan Tyson or Samantha Williams would be good options. Or Denée Benton. Even when ABF is still there, the illusion of a mixed couple will still be intact, if that's desired anyway. But I can also imagine that a couple that looks like the same race could work just as well in this show.

[ChairinMain]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 11:16am

If the show runs past Criss' second engagement (and it probably will), I would be shocked if after this extremely messy online drama they ever cast Oliver and Claire with non-Asian actors again. 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 3:24pm

Seb28 said: "YankeeDani said: "If you look at the 3 headed idiot brigade, they have no idea of Asian American roles historically, No empathy. No education.."

I know ALL about it. I am Asian. I have lived through it all.

You have not read or understood any of my posts."

 

There's a phrase for what you ACTUALLY ARE given your abhorrent views, but I am too classy to state it. 

 

And if you knew so much it's hysterical how little you knew about or bothered to research about BD's statement. 

 

Talking about "overrepresentation in POC" as relevant to MHE is both stupid and ignorant. Both of which you are. 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 4:02pm

ChairinMain said: "If the show runs past Criss' second engagement (and it probably will), I would be shocked if after this extremely messy online drama they ever cast Oliver and Claire with non-Asian actors again."

 

The problem is they set a precedent for future versions of the show to just be all white casts or whatever because they did this. They are sell outs, and clearly based on their manipulative promotion of Darren Criss strictly doing anything and will say or do ANYTHING to make $$, morals be damned. 

[Ensemble1726583963]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 4:19pm

YankeeDani said: The problem is they set a precedent for future versions of the show to just be all white casts or whatever because they did this. They are sell outs, and clearly based on their manipulative promotion of Darren Criss strictly doing anything and will say or do ANYTHING to make $$, morals be damned.

How did having one non-Asian actor "set a precedent for future versions of the show to just be all white casts"? Seven of the nine available roles will still be played by Asian people (five understudies and two principles), and when Darren returns that will be eight of nine. And let's not pretend that this is not how every other Broadway show operates. They are a business first and foremost, they're not just making art for the fun of it. They operated at a loss for a very long time, longer than most, so they are of course going to use the opportunity to make more money. Also, it's not like the tickets were selling for thousands of dollars more, it was $100-$200 at most. Please get a grip. 

 

 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 7:02pm

PaigeTurner2 said: "YankeeDani said: The problem is they set a precedent for future versions of the show to just be all white casts or whatever because they did this. They are sell outs, and clearly based on their manipulative promotion of Darren Criss strictly doing anything and will say or do ANYTHING to make $$, morals be damned.

How did having one non-Asian actor "set a precedent for future versions of the show to just be all white casts"? Seven of the nine available roles will still be played by Asian people (five understudies and two principles), and when Darren returns that will be eight of nine. And let's not pretend that this is not how every other Broadway show operates. They are a business first and foremost, they're not just making art for the fun of it. They operated at a loss for a very long time, longer than most, so they are of course going to use the opportunity to make more money.Also, it's not like the tickets were selling for thousands of dollars more, it was $100-$200 at most. Please get a grip.
"

BECAUSE ITS THE LEAD OF THE SHOW YOU MORON

Again, you are so ****ing clueless. This is about setting a PRECEDENT because this is an All Asian American show. 

[Ensemble1726583963]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 7:37pm

YankeeDani said: BECAUSE ITS THE LEAD OF THE SHOW YOU MORON

Again, you are so ****ing clueless. This is about setting a PRECEDENT because this is an All Asian American show.

It's quite literally not an all Asian show, since Dez Duron is not Asian, and Darren is also half-white. You could maybe have said that they've set the precedent to have the *male* lead (Helen is also a lead) be white, but that's not what you said. As seems to be your M.O., you've made a hyperbolic response based on nothing but your own hurt feelings. You can be disappointed that casting didn't go in the direction you thought it would, without calling those in charge of those decisions manipulative, sell-outs, and immoral.

 

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/21/25 at 11:06pm

PaigeTurner2 said: "YankeeDani said:BECAUSE ITS THE LEAD OF THE SHOW YOU MORON

Again, you are so ****ing clueless. This is about setting a PRECEDENT because this is an All Asian American show.

It's quite literally not an all Asian show,since Dez Duron is not Asian, and Darrenis also half-white. You could maybe have said that they've set the precedent to have the *male* lead (Helen is also a lead) be white, but that's not what you said. As seems to be your M.O., you've made a hyperbolic response based on nothing but your own hurt feelings. You can be disappointed that casting didn't go in the direction you thought it would, without calling those in charge of those decisionsmanipulative, sell-outs, and immoral.

"

Going to totally disregard your total lack of human decency and ignorance for a second..

 

 

Are you ****ing dumb? Of course the producers are manipulative immoral sellouts.

- They pretended this was Darren's "last run" to get people to buy tickets... only to just bring him back (assuming what the source previously said that this was always the plan). 

- Manipulated Tony voters as a win for POC and "history" in order to win Tony's

- Then totally throwing that out the window to sell tickets

 

Seriously? You are so naive it's beyond comprehension. 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 1:18am

YankeeDani said: "Manipulated Tony voters as a win for POC and "history" in order to win Tony's"

Another reason Operation Mincemeat should've won the best musical 

 

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 4:36am

Voters who can be manipulated with bias towards races of choice are evil. Because that's the opposite of equality.

The fact is that that is not at all what this show did. The casting calls and role descriptions stated very clearly from the start: All ethnicities. And not only did they put it there, they have shown to be truthful in practice too. They are sincere about it. Their fight for equality makes me love the win even more. 

And for the ones screaming about “but the writers are of a certain race so all roles must only be played by that race”. That is not what the creators of the show chose to do. How dare you whine about that? The time of sidelining races for fictional roles is behind us.

[binau]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 4:49am

I agree with the principle that race should not be, generally, used as part of the selection criteria for a job. However, we aren't speaking generally (so all of this 'global majority' stuff doesn't make any sense). We're not talking about the selection of bankers, doctors or lawyers. We're speaking specifically about the lead role in a Broadway musical in New York City, USA. Right now, it seems almost impossible for Asian males to do this unless a role is specifically identified as 'asian'. Even someone (Boris?) already conceded this was true and suggested they should be happy fading in the background in the ensemble. 

The last time this kind of outcry happened RE: casting an Asian male in a lead musical was 35 years ago. 2 roles in 35 years. TWO.

You're acting as if giving over this one role - which makes sense given the specific context of the show, writers, casting choices, marketing etc. - means that next week suddenly the only time Gypsy could ever be revived again is if BD Wong was playing Rose or something. This is absurd. 

2 roles in 35 years. 

Updated On: 8/22/25 at 04:49 AM

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 7:10am

Seb28 said: "Voters who can be manipulated with bias towards races of choice are evil.Because that's the opposite of equality.

The fact is that that is not at all what this show did. The casting calls and role descriptions stated very clearly from the start: All ethnicities. And not only did they put it there, they have shown to be truthful in practice too. They are sincere about it. Their fight for equality makes me love the win even more.

And for the ones screaming about “but the writers are of a certain race so all roles must only be played by that race”. That is not what the creators of the show chose to do. How dare you whine about that? The time of sidelining races for fictional roles is behind us."

TLDR: Basically "ALl LiVEs MatTER"

[YankeeDani]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 11:23am

binau said: "I agree with the principle that race should not be, generally, used as part of the selection criteria for a job. However, we aren't speaking generally (so all of this 'global majority' stuff doesn't make any sense). We're not talking about the selection of bankers, doctors or lawyers.We're speaking specifically about the lead role in a Broadway musical in New York City, USA. Right now, it seems almost impossible for Asian males to do this unless a role is specifically identified as 'asian'.Even someone (Boris?) already conceded this was true and suggested they should be happy fading in the background in the ensemble.

The last time this kind of outcry happened RE: casting an Asian male in a lead musical was 35 years ago. 2 roles in 35 years. TWO.

You're acting as if giving over this one role - which makes sense given the specific context of the show, writers, casting choices, marketing etc. - means that next week suddenly the only time Gypsy could ever be revived again is if BD Wong was playing Rose or something. This is absurd.

2 roles in 35 years."

 

Respond to this quote Seb. Oh what's that? You're too much of a coward to? 

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 7:23pm

binau said: "You're acting as if giving over this one role - which makes sense given the specific context of the show, writers, casting choices, marketing etc. - means that next week suddenly the only time Gypsy could ever be revived again is if BD Wong was playing Rose or something. This is absurd."

This is not about giving over a role. This is about a robot role of which the production has decided: All ethnicities. That's all there is to it. There is nothing to whine about here.

Each part of the world has their own theatre universe with their own public, where certain traits are indeed more sexualized than others, as you explained. That's cultural. In many of those universes the male lead roles are played by Asian men. But 90% of theatre roles are not about that trait at all, so the type of role is just a matter of vanity and not relevant at all. This will always differ per country and universe.

You can have the desire that Asian men become more sexualized here too, but this is not the right time and place for that. Not this robot role in this production.

Whining about this role just because the writers are Asian is extremely racist. As if roles can only be played by the race of the writers. Even if the roles are not even human. Is that the direction you want to go in? You want that to be the new rule? That rule didn't turn out to be very successful in the past.

This is not about the type of roles. But about the work opportunities. 90% of this show happend to be cast Asian. The global majority. That's great. 1 role is cast from the Broadway minority.

In any case they hired a white looking chap for Oliver. A role of which the casting call said: All ethnicities. From the start. 99% of the audience thinks Criss is white and that it's a mixed race couple.

binau said: "Outrage about 2 roles in 35 years."

Are you talking about the Engineer role in Miss Saigon, a role of which the most important trait is that he must not look Asian? Please read my previous posts about this. You can't blame the uninformed back then, but the whiners of today should know better. But the misplaced criticism on MHE is even more embarrassing.

This production completely understands it. They deserve nothing but respect.

Stop this mindset of "giving over" whenever the race that's taking over a role isn't to your liking. White people are currently disadvantaged in terms of the amount of work and opportunities on Broadway compared to the amount of work and percentages that people of color have had for years now. All cast lists, including this one speak for themselves. Your narrative is outdated. The situation has evolved. The world has moved on.

Updated On: 8/22/25 at 07:23 PM

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 7:41pm

Seb28 said: "White people are currently disadvantaged in terms of the amount of work and opportunities on Broadway compared to the amount of work and percentages that people of color have had for years now."

If you know of some data about there being fewer opportunities for white people on Broadway right now perhaps you could share a link, 

 

[Seb28]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 7:42pm

SteveSanders said: "Seb28 said: "White people are currently disadvantaged in terms of the amount of work and opportunities on Broadway compared to the amount of work and percentages that people of color have had for years now."

If you know of some data about there being fewer opportunities for white people on Broadway right now perhaps you could share a link,

"

We discussed this a few pages back where you can see all the cast lists.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 8/22/25 at 7:55pm

Seb keeps saying "THEY'RE ROBOTS!", but isn't like... the point of this show that the robots have humanity? Continuing to just say their robots just seems like missing the entire point of the show.